Actuator array and method for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

An array of M×N electrodisplacive actuators is prepared by: (1) forming a multilayered ceramic structure having M layers of a first conductive metallization and M+1 layers of an electrodisplacive material; (2) obtaining a composite ceramic wafer by slicing the multilayered ceramic structure in a direction normal to the layers of the first conductive metallization; (3) providing a plurality of regularly spaced horizontally directional trenches running parallel to each other wherein each of the trenches is located at an equidistance from two adjacent layers of the first conductive metallization; (4) depositing a second conductive metallization; (5) preparing N-1 regularly spaced vertically directional cuts on the composite ceramic wafer prepared using steps (3) and (4) to thereby obtain the array of M×N electrodisplacive actuators.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing an array of M×N electrodisplacive actuators for use in an optical projection system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a multilayered ceramic structure having M layers of a first conductive metallization and M+1 layers of an electrodisplacive material, wherein each layer of the first conductive metallization is placed between two layers of the electrodisplacive material;   (b) slicing said multilayered ceramic structure in a direction normal to said layers of the first conductive metallization, resulting in a composite ceramic wafer having a flat surface, wherein the electrodisplacive material is evenly separated in a horizontal direction by said M layers of the first conductive metallization;   (c) providing on the entirety of said flat surface of the composite ceramic wafer M+1 regularly spaced horizontally directional trenches, wherein each of the trenches runs parallel to each other, is located at an equidistance from two adjacent layers of the first conductive metallization, is separated from each other by a barrier having a top surface, and has a pair of side surfaces and a bottom surface;   (d) constructing a composite ceramic body by forming a second conductive metallization on said side and bottom surfaces of each of the trenches; and   (e) preparing N-1 regularly spaced vertically directional cuts on the composite ceramic body to thereby obtain the array of M×N electrodisplacive actuators.   
     
     
       2. The method claim 1, wherein said actuators are comprised of a piezoelectric material. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2, wherein said multilayered ceramic structure in step (a) is poled. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive metallization in step (a) is comprised of platinum, or palladium or palladium/silver. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein said trenches are formed in step (c) after said flat surface in step (b) has been completely covered with a thin layer of a polymer. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second conductive metallization in step (d) is comprised of aluminum or silver. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second conductive metallization in step (d) is also formed on the top surface of the barrier referred to in step (c). 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second conductive metallization formed on the top surface of the barrier is removed by dissolving said thin polymeric layer.